Why “Otherness” Is a Nervous System Experience

Feeling “othered” isn’t just emotional; it’s physiological. Your nervous system has one job: keep you safe. When you sense you don’t belong—because of identity, culture, ability, trauma, or systemic barriers—your body responds as if you’re facing a threat.

This means:

• You might scan the room for danger or judgment.

• Your breath might tighten.

• Your muscles might brace.

• You may over-perform, withdraw, or shut down.

None of these responses mean you’re “overreacting.” They mean your nervous system is doing its job. Recognizing this is the first step toward healing. Being “other” shapes the entire landscape of self-regulation, which is why safe, inclusive yoga spaces matter.

For YEARS I almost had panic attacks when going to yoga. I felt like I looked so different from everyone else in the room. I seemed to have experiences that made certain things much more difficult for me - but no one acknowledged it or talked about it. In fact, many of the yoga classes I attended before becoming a yoga teacher were designed to get EVERYONE in the room to conform to one way of moving, one way of being.

Now, I know why my body was responding the way it did. Those spaces were not designed for me. They were not trauma-informed. They were not sensitive to Queer identity. They were not inclusive of body shape and size. Once again, I was conditioning myself to override my nervous system’s cues, forcing myself to stay when my body said NO.

This isn’t to say that yoga doesn’t challenge us to face ourselves and overcome our own limitations and barriers. And sometimes it’s difficult to discern what is “us” and what is a space that isn’t inclusive. Challenging ourselves is good, even if it’s difficult. But if you feel like you have to earn your place in a yoga class, if you feel like you aren’t seen…notice that and act accordingly.